The screeching sound started low and gradually built until Amber could hear it easily over the white noise from the speakers. The house lights flickered and then stabilized. George flipped his stake around and gave the table a good shove with the blunt end. The table screeched back a couple of inches and the horrifying wail from the creature under the table grew in intensity.
George lifted his foot and kicked the edge of the table. It didn’t slide far before one of the legs caught and it tipped. The creature was clinging to the underside. Amber saw it try to shift into the shadows, but Ricky tracked it with his light.
George and Amber both advanced, flanking on either side while Ricky highlighted its position with his light. The thing was letting out a high-pitch whine that made Amber want to plug up her ears. It was almost worse than the tapping. Instead of lulling her into a trance, the sound made her want to run out into the night regardless of the consequences.
Mary yelled something. Amber ignored it. She just needed to get a little closer.
“It’s a distraction!” Mary yelled again. She was waving her arms, sending her flashlight beam roving like a searchlight. Amber froze and looked to Mary for an explanation. George backed up. Alan began pointing over Amber’s shoulder and she turned. One of the cabinet doors was beginning to open. A creature was hiding in there, waiting for Amber to get close enough so that it could strike. They had sacrificed two of their own for the chance to infect Amber.
She ignored the screeching one and used the end of her spear to flick open the cabinet. It began to smoke immediately from the light. Amber jabbed and stabbed until it was gone. By that time, George had taken out the one under the table, and the horrible sound was gone.
They continued through the kitchen.
The purple lights mounted on the wall facing the shed were almost comforting. Amber no longer minded their weird, fuzzy glow. Alan threw open the door to the shed and waved everyone forward. It looked like the area was clear. The lights didn’t penetrate all the way to the end, but the flashlights didn’t pick up any movement down there. Mary propped the door open with a chair that she dragged into place so that they wouldn’t be cut off from retreat.
Tucker paused at the window while Albert cowered. Ricky had to practically drag Romeo’s dog along by the rope. Tucker was sniffing at the glass and looking out at the yard. Amber saw an island of light out there with Alan’s car in the middle. Purple lights spilled from the garage. Everything looked how they had left it.
“Your father’s not here yet,” Mary said.
“We should stay here,” George said. “We have multiple exits and we saw that those lights are wired directly into the batteries. We can’t be sure about the garage lights.”
Amber agreed and glanced around to see the rest of them nodding.
Thirty-Six: Ricky
The dogs knew that someone was coming before Ricky even saw the headlights. Albert began to pull on the rope even harder, and Tucker gave his tail a tentative wag. Tucker knew the sound of all their vehicles, and Albert was well-trained to hide at the approach of anyone new.
“He’s coming,” Ricky said.
They all turned to him.
“Dad, I mean.”
A moment later, they saw the headlights on the trees. Ricky’s father pulled up right next to Alan’s car and then rolled in closer to the purple lights of the garage. He gave his horn a couple of quick blasts. Mary started for the garage.
“Careful, Mom,” George said. “They have a way into the top of the garage, remember?”
“You want to stay here forever?” Mary asked as she continued towards the door.
“No, I just…”
George didn’t finish the sentence before their mom opened the door to the garage. The purple lights out there were even brighter. She peered carefully up above the doorway and then entered the garage, followed by Amber.
“My car better start,” Alan said. “Or it’s going to be a tight squeeze.”
Ricky looked up, squinting at the overhead lights, before he led the dogs through to the garage. Albert was pulling towards the truck, but Ricky snapped the rope to get him to go towards his father’s SUV. When Mary opened the rear door, Tucker bolted and jumped inside.
Ricky went around back to open the hatch and lift Albert up. The dog was hesitant and squirmed until Ricky lifted him. He shut the door and felt exposed back there, with only the taillights to protect him.
Alan’s starter sounded sluggish at first, but it gained speed and the engine turned over. Ricky heard his excited yell through the glass. Amber was exploring the back of Alan’s car with her flashlight and spear. She declared that it was safe. George and Mary were already in the vehicle with Vernon and the dogs.
For a moment, Ricky stood between the vehicles.
“Where are we going?” he asked.
“Home,” Mary said after rolling her window down a couple of inches.
Ricky shook his head. He looked over at Romeo’s truck, wondering if Amber had been right about the keys being in it. He had a flashlight and he could borrow one of the headlamps, although the more he thought about it, he wondered if it would be safer to stay in Romeo’s house until it was closer to dawn. The place was somewhat protected with the white noise and the UV lights.
His mother said, “Ricky, get in the car.”
Ricky shook his head.
“No. To go back home? We already know it’s not safe there. I think we have the advantage here. I’m going to push on.”
“Push on?” his mother asked. “What does that even mean?”
Amber leaned over Alan and answered the question.
“He’s going back to the gravesite. It’s a decent idea,” Amber said.
“I’m thinking I’ll stay here until just before dawn and then…”
“No,” Amber said. “Hold on.”
She
